Mike Piazza was back behind the plate Sunday, catching softballs from Jennie Finch in a celebrity game at Citi Field. The Mets announced that Piazza would join their Hall of Fame in September, and Piazza, who carried the team to the 2000 World Series, has a keen sense of their patterns.

“Sometimes, you have to take a few steps back to take steps forward,” he said. “That’s what the Mets have done throughout their history. Now it’s about drafting and developing and keeping guys healthy. It’s fun to watch. I’m optimistic this team is going in the right direction.”

It was a day to be upbeat at Citi Field, even with the Mets stuck in fourth place. They are 16-10 since June 18, when they promoted Zack Wheeler to start a doubleheader with Matt Harvey in Atlanta. Both pitchers won, and in the Mets’ dream vision, two other future starters took the mound Sunday.

Noah Syndergaard, acquired from Toronto last December in the trade for R. A. Dickey, started for the United States in the Futures Game. Rafael Montero, signed from the Dominican Republic in January 2011, started for the World team. Both pitched a scoreless inning in a 4-2 United States victory.

“Noah’s a hoss, and Montero can hit a dime with his fastball and just about every pitch he throws,” said the Class A outfielder Brandon Nimmo, the other Met in the game. “You definitely have some up-and-coming guys that are going to be stars, and then obviously Harvey and Wheeler are already here, with Wright to lead them. Hopefully I can be a part of that here pretty soon.”

Nimmo, who went 0 for 2, occupied David Wright’s locker, with Syndergaard on the other side of the main clubhouse door. Syndergaard is 2-0 with a 1.35 earned run average in four starts for Class AA Binghamton, and has 90 strikeouts in 832/3 innings between two levels.

“I set a goal at the beginning of the year to make it to the Futures Game and end up in Double-A,” said Syndergaard, who turns 21 next month. “I just had no idea I was going to be here this soon.”

Montero, 22, has 101 strikeouts in 992/3 innings between Binghamton and Class AAA Las Vegas, where he is 1-2 with a 4.36 E.R.A. in seven starts. He was the Mets’ organizational pitcher of the year last season and grew up rooting for the former Met Pedro Martinez. Montero said he hoped to return to Citi Field soon.

“I’m working hard because I want to finish in the major leagues this year,” he said through an interpreter, adding later, “I feel like this is my home, like I belong here.”

The Yankees had one representative in the game, the right-hander Rafael De Paula, who also threw a scoreless inning. De Paula has a 3.65 E.R.A. between two Class A teams, with 108 strikeouts in 79 innings.

A version of this article appears in print on , Section D, Page 4 of the New York edition with the headline: Two Pitchers Offer a Vision the Mets Could Love. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe